Bryce Harper's impressive power display lifts Nats to 7-2 win

MIAMI - With July winding down, Bryce Harper was experiencing a bit of a power outage. The 22-year-old had just three homers in the month and none in the past 10 days. But tonight, the slugger broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth with a colossal three-run homer and then followed with a breathtaking solo shot in the eighth to propel the Nationals to a 7-2 victory over the Marlins.

Harper mashed three homers off Marlins starter Tom Koehler back on May 6 at Nationals Park. Tonight, Koehler won the first battle, whiffing Harper on an inside heater. Harper came back with a single in the fourth and then delivered the big boom in the fifth.

"Koehler got him on the first at-bat with a fastball and he went back to it and (Harper) was ready for it," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "He's learning how to make those in-game adjustments where he can be ready for that next at-bat. He did a lot of damage today."

That speaks to the overall development of Harper at the plate where his .335 batting average is not only third best in the National League, but also 30 points higher than his career mark. Both homers soared into the right field upper deck, with the second threatening the boundaries of Marlins Park.

"If he's disciplined enough and gets a good pitch to hit, then he can hit like that," Williams said.

Harper, who owns the majors second-best on-base percentage (.463), has now reached base safely in a career-high 25 straight games.

"I'm just trying to stay as patient as I can," Harper said. "I'm trying to draw my walks as best as I can. Really, if I can get on base, that's the biggest thing. That's all that matters. Looking back on that first inning, I definitely should've walked in that first at-bat. Pitch off the inside part of the plate. But I was able to come back and hit the two bombs and get a base knock to left."

Williams experimented with several different lineup combinations over the past two months with Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon and Denard Span all on the disabled list. To Harper's testament, his average remained among the top-three in the league, but his power numbers took a hit as pitchers repeatedly pitched around him.

The Nats are nearly at full strength now with only Span left on the shelf, and Williams has Harper back as his cleanup hitter with Werth and Zimmerman sandwiched around him in the order. That's the formula that helped Harper's 13-homer binge in May.

"Having Werth in front of me and him seeing a lot of pitches and being able to get my routine done in the on-deck circle and watch that pitcher for a little bit (is big)," Harper said. "Definitely having Zim behind me. I think it's just gonna get better and better as we go."

Harper's two home runs vaults him back into the NL lead with 29, two behind Angels slugger Mike Trout for tops in the majors.